Human power is often driven by arbitrary desires and personal whims. In contrast, the ultimate authority of God rests entirely on a foundation of absolute justice and fairness. As the supreme judge of the world, God exercises His power not through random force, but through a profound love for order and rightness [אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The very concept of God acting as a king highlights a leadership based on strict law. Some explain that this absolute, unyielding justice is reserved for the future. In the present world, God chooses to guide His creation with a blend of kindness and mercy, waiting for the time when absolute justice will be fully realized [אלשיך].
God establishes fairness in the world in several ways. The primary approach among commentators is that this fairness refers to the upright and just laws of the Torah that God introduced to humanity [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד]. Others view this fairness as a call for compromise and peacemaking. It represents behavior that goes beyond the strict letter of the law, such as the command to assist even an enemy [רש״י, אלשיך]. Another perspective suggests that this fairness is the natural order and general providence through which God governs the nations of the world, dealing with them honestly and according to strict law [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, God actively helps people find the truth, specifically granting this clarity to the humble and those dedicated to studying the Torah and performing acts of kindness [חומת אנך].
God maintains a distinct and special relationship with the people of Israel. While the rest of the world is governed by the natural laws of fairness, His leadership over Israel is miraculous. It is a unique combination of strict justice, meaning exact reward and punishment, and righteousness, which is a divine love and kindness that grants people more than their actions alone deserve [מלבי״ם, אלשיך]. Looking at this through a historical lens, the strict justice is reflected in the punishment of exile that the Israelites endured for their sins. The righteousness, however, points to their future redemption, granted in the merit of their enduring faith and the ancient covenant with their forefathers [רד״ק, מאירי]. A more straightforward explanation is that this justice and righteousness simply refer to the justified laws of the Torah themselves, which God lovingly crafted and gave directly to the Israelites [מצודת דוד].